The Nanny

"Nanny wasn't responsible . . . WAS SHE?"

1965 1h 31m EN

👍

7.0

SOLID

★7.0TMDB · 113

DramaThrillerHorror

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Nanny, a London family's live-in maid, brings morbid 10-year-old Joey back from the psychiatric ward he's been in for two years, since the death of his younger sister. Joey refuses to eat any food Nanny's prepared or take a bath with her in the room. He also demands to sleep in a room with a lock. Joey's parents -- workaholic Bill and neurotic Virgie -- are sure Joey is disturbed, but he may have good reason to be terrified of Nanny.

“Nanny wasn't responsible . . . WAS SHE?”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Bette Davis
Nanny
Wendy Craig
Virginia 'Virgie' Fane
Jill Bennett
Aunt Pen
James Villiers
Bill Fane
William Dix
Joey Fane
Pamela Franklin
Bobbie Medman
Jack Watling
Dr. Medman
Maurice Denham
Dr. Beamaster

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Seth Holt
Writers: Jimmy Sangster
Languages: English
Countries: United Kingdom

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

61 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Seth Holt, shot by Harry Waxman. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Richard Rodney Bennett. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Tom Simpson shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Bette Davis and Wendy Craig and Jill Bennett carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Nanny wasn't responsible . . . WAS SHE?".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0059496 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Seth Holt directs. Harry Waxman behind the camera. Richard Rodney Bennett scores. Tom Simpson cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United Kingdom. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

161 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Directed by Seth Holt, shot by Harry Waxman. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Richard Rodney Bennett. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Tom Simpson shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Bette Davis and Wendy Craig and Jill Bennett carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "Nanny wasn't responsible . . . WAS SHE?".
7IMDB entry: tt0059496 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Harry Waxman
Original score: Richard Rodney Bennett
Editing: Tom Simpson
Production design: Edward Carrick
Makeup / hair: A. G. Scott
Runtime: 91 min · 1h 31m
Status: Released
Original language: EN
IMDB: The Nanny (1965)

Also by

Seth Holt

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

John Chard2019-10-01
★ 8/10
The Nanny of the Fane household holds sway. The Nanny is directed by Seth Holt and adapted to screenplay by Jimmy Sangster from the novel of the same name written by Evelyn Piper (AKA: Merriam Modell). It stars Bette Davis, Wendy Craig, William Dix, Jill Bennett, James Villiers and Pamela Franklin. Music is by Richard Rodney Bennett and cinematography by Harry Waxman. The Fane family, their Nanny, a tragedy and young Master Joey Fane just released from a school for disturbed children. Secrets will out... A psychological thriller of some substance from Hammer Film Productions, The Nanny thrives on deft story telling and acting of quality from Bette Davis. There's a slight annoyance that the mystery element of the story struggles to command interest, because the title of the film kind of tells us what is wrong in the Fane household equation, but the constant battle between young Joey (Dix excellent as a kid being stubborn and aggressive, but alienated) and Nanny Bette is riveting. Holt builds the core of the story patiently, the Fane house is a fraught place, Craig's mom is perched on the edge of a break down, Villiers' papa a stiff backed type not nearly at home enough and emotionally cut off from the worries of his wife and child. Hovering over them all is Nanny, smoothly weaving about them, holding sway with an unnerving calmness, it's a calm before the storm scenario and once the truths come tumbling out the best impact has been garnered due to the unfussy and unhurried work of the production team. Filmed suitably in black and white and primarily shot in the confines of one home, picture has atmosphere and oppressive feeling in abundance. The lack of that mystery intrigue, and a less than barn storming finale, stop it from being in the top tier of the Hammer-Psycho-Chiller list, but it's an easy film to recommend to fans of the genre and especially to fans of the irrepressible Madame Davis. 7.5/10

Production companies